THEINC-HIM DAILY BIBLE MEDITATION: February 26

Sunday, October 25, 2009

February 26

Genesis 1:1 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

FEBRUARY 26

PSALMS: 26, 56, 86, 116, 146

PROVERBS: 26

OLD TESTAMENT

1 SAMUEL 22:1 - 23:29

NEW TESTAMENT

JOHN 10:1 - 29

PSALMS: 26

Of David.

1Vindicate me, O LORD,

for I have led a blameless life;

I have trusted in the LORD

without wavering.

2Test me, O LORD, and try me,

examine my heart and my mind;

3for your love is ever before me,

and I walk continually in your truth.

4I do not sit with deceitful men,

nor do I consort with hypocrites;

5I abhor the assembly of evildoers

and refuse to sit with the wicked.

6I wash my hands in innocence,

and go about your altar, O LORD,

7proclaiming aloud your praise

and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

8I love the house where you live, O LORD,

the place where your glory dwells.

9Do not take away my soul along with sinners,

my life with bloodthirsty men,

10in whose hands are wicked schemes,

whose right hands are full of bribes.

11But I lead a blameless life;

redeem me and be merciful to me.

12My feet stand on level ground;

in the great assembly I will praise the LORD. [1]

PSALMS: 56

For the director of music. To the tune of "A Dove on Distant Oaks." Of David. A miktam.A When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

1Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me;

all day long they press their attack.

2My slanderers pursue me all day long;

many are attacking me in their pride.

3When I am afraid,

I will trust in you.

4In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can mortal man do to me?

5All day long they twist my words;

they are always plotting to harm me.

6They conspire, they lurk,

they watch my steps,

eager to take my life.

7On no account let them escape;

in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.

8Record my lament;

list my tears on your scrollB--

are they not in your record?

9Then my enemies will turn back

when I call for help.

By this I will know that God is for me.

10In God, whose word I praise,

in the LORD, whose word I praise--

11in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me? [2]

12I am under vows to you, O God;

I will present my thank offerings to you.

13For you have delivered meC from death

and my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before God

in the light of life.D [3]

PSALMS: 86

A prayer of David.

1Hear, O LORD, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

2Guard my life, for I am devoted to you.

You are my God; save your servant

who trusts in you.

3Have mercy on me, O Lord,

for I call to you all day long.

4Bring joy to your servant,

for to you, O Lord,

I lift up my soul.

5You are forgiving and good, O Lord,

abounding in love to all who call to you.

6Hear my prayer, O LORD;

listen to my cry for mercy.

7In the day of my trouble I will call to you,

for you will answer me.

8Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord;

no deeds can compare with yours.

9All the nations you have made

will come and worship before you, O Lord;

they will bring glory to your name.

10For you are great and do marvelous deeds;

you alone are God.[4]

11Teach me your way, O LORD,

and I will walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart,

that I may fear your name.

12I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;

I will glorify your name forever.

13For great is your love toward me;

you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.A

14The arrogant are attacking me, O God;

a band of ruthless men seeks my life--

men without regard for you.

15But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

16Turn to me and have mercy on me;

grant your strength to your servant

and save the son of your maidservant.B

17Give me a sign of your goodness,

that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,

for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me. [5]

PSALMS: 116

1I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;

he heard my cry for mercy.

2Because he turned his ear to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

3The cords of death entangled me,

the anguish of the graveA came upon me;

I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.

4Then I called on the name of the LORD:

"O LORD, save me!"

5The LORD is gracious and righteous;

our God is full of compassion.

6The LORD protects the simplehearted;

when I was in great need, he saved me.

7Be at rest once more, O my soul,

for the LORD has been good to you.

8For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling,

9that I may walk before the LORD

in the land of the living.

10I believed; thereforeB I said,

"I am greatly afflicted."

11And in my dismay I said,

"All men are liars."

12How can I repay the LORD

for all his goodness to me?

13I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the LORD.

14I will fulfill my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people. [6]

15Precious in the sight of the LORD

is the death of his saints.

16O LORD, truly I am your servant;

I am your servant, the son of your maidservantC;

you have freed me from my chains.

17I will sacrifice a thank offering to you

and call on the name of the LORD.

18I will fulfill my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people,

19in the courts of the house of the LORD--

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD.D [7]

PSALMS: 146

1Praise the LORD.A

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

2I will praise the LORD all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

3Do not put your trust in princes,

in mortal men, who cannot save.

4When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;

on that very day their plans come to nothing.

5Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the LORD his God,

6the Maker of heaven and earth,

the sea, and everything in them--

the LORD, who remains faithful forever.

7He upholds the cause of the oppressed

and gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets prisoners free,

8the LORD gives sight to the blind,

the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,

the LORD loves the righteous.

9The LORD watches over the alien

and sustains the fatherless and the widow,

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10The LORD reigns forever,

your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the LORD. [8]

PROVERBS: 26

261 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,

honor is not fitting for a fool.

2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,

an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

3A whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey,

and a rod for the backs of fools!

4Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

or you will be like him yourself.

5Answer a fool according to his folly,

or he will be wise in his own eyes.

6Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence

is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.

7Like a lame man's legs that hang limp

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8Like tying a stone in a sling

is the giving of honor to a fool.

9Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

10Like an archer who wounds at random

is he who hires a fool or any passer-by.

11As a dog returns to its vomit,

so a fool repeats his folly.

[9]12Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road,

a fierce lion roaming the streets!"

14As a door turns on its hinges,

so a sluggard turns on his bed.

15The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes

than seven men who answer discreetly.

17Like one who seizes a dog by the ears

is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

18Like a madman shooting

firebrands or deadly arrows

19is a man who deceives his neighbor

and says, "I was only joking!"

20Without wood a fire goes out;

without gossip a quarrel dies down.

21As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. [10]

22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

they go down to a man's inmost parts.

23Like a coating of glazeA over earthenware

are fervent lips with an evil heart.

24A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,

but in his heart he harbors deceit.

25Though his speech is charming, do not believe him,

for seven abominations fill his heart.

26His malice may be concealed by deception,

but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it;

if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.

28A lying tongue hates those it hurts,

and a flattering mouth works ruin. [11]

OLD TESTAMENT

1 SAMUEL 22:1 - 23:29

221David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

3From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, "Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?" 4So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.

5But the prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah." So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

6Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul, spear in hand, was seated under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing around him. 7Saul said to them, "Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8Is that why you have all conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today."

9But Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul's officials, said, "I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at [12]Nob. 10Ahimelech inquired of the LORD for him; he also gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine."

11Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and his father's whole family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king. 12Saul said, "Listen now, son of Ahitub."

"Yes, my lord," he answered.

13Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?"

14Ahimelech answered the king, "Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? 15Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father's family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair."

16But the king said, "You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and your father's whole family."

17Then the king ordered the guards at his side: "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me."

But the king's officials were not willing to raise a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.

18The king then ordered Doeg, "You turn and strike down the priests." So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 19He also [13]put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.

20But Abiathar, a son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, escaped and fled to join David. 21He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. 22Then David said to Abiathar: "That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your father's whole family. 23Stay with me; don't be afraid; the man who is seeking your life is seeking mine also. You will be safe with me."

231When David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors," 2he inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?"

The LORD answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

3But David's men said to him, "Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!"

4Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, "Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand." 5So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 6(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod down with [14]him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

7Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, "God has handed him over to me, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars." 8And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." 10David said, "O LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant."

And the LORD said, "He will."

12Again David asked, "Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?"

And the LORD said, "They will."

13So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

14David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

15While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. 16And Saul's son Jonathan [15]went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 17"Don't be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this." 18The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

19The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? 20Now, O king, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for handing him over to the king."

21Saul replied, "The LORD bless you for your concern for me. 22Go and make further preparation. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. 23Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information.A Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah."

24So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. 25Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

26Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture [16]them, 27a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land." 28Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.B 29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.[17]

NEW TESTAMENT

JOHN 10:1 - 29

101"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.A He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my [18]Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

19At these words the Jews were again divided. 20Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?"

21But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

22Then came the Feast of DedicationB at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ,C tell us plainly."

25Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than allD; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [19]

^{John 3:16-21 16}"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^F that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.^G ¹⁹This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. ²¹But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."^H

THEINC-HIM DAILY BIBLE MEDITATION

Sunday, October 25, 2009

February 26

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John 3:16-21